Aunty Audrey’s Big Island Eats

Aunty Audrey’s Big Island Eats shares with you the Island’s recipes and culinary fare gathered from friends, family, chefs, restaurants, and home economists. It is a community collection of food that conjures up nostalgic memories of dishes and restaurants now gone, but not forgotten; tat pays homage to the island’s farmers, ranchers, businessment and women, and community leaders; that invites you into aunty’s home for a family-favorite meal; that reveals signature recipes from some of the Island’s best-known chefs.

Table of Contents

KTA ‘Ohana

Kulolo
Baking a Cake in a Soda Box (Derek Kurisu)
Salmon with Mountain Apple Guava Sauce
Watercress Chicken Salad
Portuguese Kale Soup (Tony Armstrong)
Salami Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella (Merle Unoki)
Asian Spiced Eggplant Spread (Merle Unoki)
Tex-Mex Taco Dinner (Nicole Onishi)
Roast Turkey in a KTA Paper Sack
Kim Chee Clam Dip (Robin Kokubun)
Apple Vinaigrette (Lori Taniguchi)
Kim Chee and Togan Soup
Sesame Seed Chicken (Jon Taniguchi)

Best of the Big Island

AKA Sushi’s Spicy ‘Ahi (Kyaw Moe, AKA Sushi)
Lily’s Sukiyaki (Lily Inouye)
Shoyu Poke, KTA-Style (KTA)
Creamy Seafood Pesto Over Linguine (Don Hoota, Don’s Grill)
Kona Coffee Crisp Tulips with Two Kona Coffee Liqueur Mousses (Cathy and Robin Barrett, Kailua Candy Company)
Spaghetti Squash with Pesto (Island Naturals Market and Deli)
Furikake Salmon (Seaside Restaurant)
Walnut Rice Cereal Bars (Kevin and Leilani Kusano, Leilani Bakery)
Risotto alla Milanese with Seared Sea Scallops (Solimene’s)
Korean-Style Squid (Wendy Yamada, GW Construction)

Agricultural Industries

Chip and Macadamia Nut Cookie Cups (Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory)
Alan Wong’s Hamakua Springs Stewed Tomatoes (Chef Alan Wong)
Alan Wong’s Chili Pepper Water (Chef Alan Wong)
Kawamata Farms Tomato Gazpacho (Chef Piet Wigmans, Hilo Hawaiian Hotel)
Lemon-Mint Chicken Cutlets with Watercress
Baked Stuffed Avocado (George Curtis)
Preparing and Canning Fresh Bamboo Shoots
Bamboo Shoots with Pork
Breadfruit or ‘Ulu, Portuguese-Style (Jarneski Family)
Corn Salad
Sweet Potato-Crusted Kona Kampachi with Tomato-Papaya Coulis (Chef Neil Murphy, Merriman’s)
‘Ohelo Berry Baked Brie
Fresh Poi
Hai Kou Veloute Soup (Eva Lee, Tea Hawai‘i & Company)
Tea Leaf Pesto (Eva Lee, Tea Hawai‘i & Company)

Aquacultural Industry

Big Island Baby Abalone Scampi (Chef Ed Mizuno, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows)
Steamed Mullet with Salted Black Beans
Kona Kampachi Carpaccio with Anuenue Ho‘i‘o Ogo Relish and Ginger Ponzu Sauce (Chef Neil Murphy, Merriman’s)
Kaffir Lime-Poached Kona Kampachi and ‘Ahi (Chef TK Keosavang, Brown’s Beach House)
Soba Salad (Chef TK Keosavang, Brown’s Beach House)
‘Ahi Katsu Burger (Sous-chef Bryceson Velez, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows)
Crispy Moi and Cilantro Ginger Pesto (Chef Ron Nahalea, Hilo Yacht Club)
Kona Cold Lobster Salad with Kona Mango Dressing
‘Ele‘ele Tsukudani (Steve Katase, Royal Hawaiian Sea Farms)

Ranching and Livestock Industry

Spicy Thai Beef Salad (Kuahiwi Ranch)
Vietnamese Pho
Kahua Ranch Roast Beef with Béarnaise Sauce (Phyllis Richards, Kahua Ranch)
Kulana Foods Rib Eye Steaks with Roquefort Butter (Chef Ed Kenney, Town Restaurant)
Filipino Stew or Pochero with Eggplant Sauce
Butterflied Leg of Lamb
Kahua Ranch Kalua Lamb Shoulder (Chef Neil Murphy, Merriman’s)
Carne de Vinha D’alhos Island Pork
Willy Takaba’s Favorite Beef Stroganoff (William Takaba)
Green Tea Panna Cotta
Hawaiian Red Veal Italian Meatballs (Hawaiian Red Veal Association)
Slow Cooker Barbecued Beef

Small Businesses

Emma’s Green Salsa (Emma’s)
Madame Pele Truffles (Melanie Boudar, Sweet Paradise Chocolatier)
Mehana Brewing Beer Batter Onion Rings
Okara
Hilo Coffee Mill’s Barbecue Sauce (Hilo Coffee Mill)
Pipeline Porter Spice Cake (Kona Brewing Company)
Deli Roll Laulau
Sakamoto Namul (Arnold Sakamoto)
Bean Sprouts with Dried Shrimp (Arnold Sakamoto)
Spicy Thai Tofu Poke (Ty Katibah and Lisa Johnston, Natural Pacific Tofu Company)
Roasted Stuffed Tomatoes with Puna Goat Cheese (Chef Piet Wigmans, Hilo Hawaiian Hotel)
Hilo’s Fish Tempura and Kim Chee Salad
Mr. Ed’s Sweet Dough (Mr. Ed’s Bakery)

Family Favorites

Wiki Wiki Fruit Chutney (Conard Eyre, Green Goose Gourmet)
Alan’s Furikake Salmon Patties with Furikake-Wasabi Mayonnaise (Alan Fujimoto)
Bea Isemoto’s Lime Party Salad (Bea Isemoto)
Aunty Helen Choy’s Kochujahng Sauce (Millie Kim)
Shoyu Lemon Squid (Chiyo Kasamoto)
Mrs. Ohata’s Stuffed Pumpkin (Harold Ohata)
Pasteles (Executive Chef Jason Morton, Hilo Yacht Club)
Greenwell Family Favorite Salad Dressing (Greenwell Family)
Hilo-Style Potato and Macaroni Salad (Penny Vrendenburg)
Leithead Family Scottish Shortbread (Leithhead Family)
Black Bean and Tortilla Bake (Sylvia Dixon)
Aileen’s Easy Sweet and Sour Spareribs (Aileen Fuke)
Mary Stevenson’s Mango Chutney (Jack and Jane Stevenson)
Chicken Spaghetti (Eddie Agasa)

Community Favorites

Shrimp on a Stick with Two Sauces (Hawai‘i Island Home for Recovery)
Pumpkin Crunch Pudding Cake (Brenda Ho, Hospice of Hilo)
Hawai‘i Community College’s Basic Rolls (Allan Okuda, HCC)
Vegetarian Chili (Hilo Medical Center)
Pork Guisantes (Representative Clif Tsuji)
Tofu Pork Hash (Representative Jerry Chang)
Picadillo (West Hawai‘i Mediation Center)
Sadao’s Baked Ham (Sadao Aoki)
Fried Plantains (West Hawai‘i Mediation Center)
Mayor Billy Kenoi’s Favorite Shoyu Chicken (Mayor Billy Kenoi)

Restaurants of the Big Island

Tsunami Prawns (Chef Mike Lamb, Royal Kona Resorts)
Chicken Hekka (Christopher and Kendra Ignacio, Back to the ‘50s Highway Fountain)
Macadamia Nut Mahimahi (Kona Inn Restaurant)
Daniel Thiebaut’s Crab and Corn Cakes (Daniel Thiebaut Restaurant)
Stir-Fried Ground Chicken and Eggplant (Lam Family, One Plus One Café)
Sombat’s Pad Thai (Sombat’s Fresh Thai Cuisine)
Sansei’s Shrimp Tempura Hand Roll (DK Kodama, Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Bar)
Sansei’s Rock Shrimp Dynamite (DK Kodama, Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Bar)
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce (Sous-chef Bryceson Velez, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows)
Green Apple Mustard (Chef Matthew Zubrod, Monettes Restaurant)
Burgundy-Style Rabbit Stew (Ron Gallaher and Colleen Moore, La Bourgogne French Cuisine)

Celebrations, Festivals, and Lu‘au

Purple Sweet Potato Salad (Executive Chef Eric Lelinski, Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resorts and Spa)
Maharaja Shrimp with Pineapple Chutney (Sachi Fukuda)
Taro Muffins (Chef Mark Tsuchiyama, Kona Village Resort)
Ohagi
Kuhio Grille’s Famous Baked Short Rib Stew (Kuhio Grille)
Chilled Wild ‘Ohelo Berry Soup (Executive Chef George Gomes, Mauna Kea Beach Resort)
Mango Bread Pudding (Chef Cy Yamamoto, Keauhou Beach Hotel)
Squid Lu‘au (Clyde Ho)
Hilo Huli Mushroom Soup (Chef Albert Jeyte, Kilauea Lodge)
Rolled Prosciutto Ham Quesadilla with Green Apple Salsa (Chef Casey Halpern, Café Pesto)
Coffee-Encrusted Carpaccio of Big Island Beef (Chef Morgan Starr, Mi’s Italian Bistro)

Memories of the Past

Grilled Shrimp Focaccia Club Sandwich (Fiasco’s)
Pork Schnitzel with Green Peppercorn Sauce (Chef Hans Peter Hagar, Edelweiss)
Oysters Bienville (Roussel’s)
‘Ahi Soba Salad (Scruffles Restaurant)
Spicy Tofu Spread for Sandwiches (O’Keefe’s and Sons)
Peanut Butter Sauce (Steve Yamashiro)
Liliko‘i Cheesecake (Kay Cabrera)
Ono Lemon Piccata (Topo Gigio Restaurant)
Ugly Duckling Cake (Harry Kim)
Pot Roast Pork (Herb Matayoshi)
Some ‘Ono Clam Chowder Li’ Dat (Dante Carpenter)

Omiyage Sweets

Irma Ikawa’s Haupia Squares (Irma Ikawa, Big Island Candies)
Betsy Mitchell’s Best Ever Cookies (Betsy Mitchell)
Layered Manju (Haunani Ogata)
Kathy’s Custard Pie (Kathy Higaki)
Kathy’s Peanut Butter Cream Pie (Kathy Higaki)
Avocado Cream Cheese Squares (Sylvia Dixon)
Roulade au Citron (Lemon Roll) (Richard Myers)
Poi Andagi
Kathy’s Cinnamon Rolls (Kathy Higaki)

Author: Audrey Wilson